Maybe you’re a Noritake fan, in which case you’re probably familiar with this elegant Evening Glow pattern, part of the Noritake Everyday Elegance China collection. The raised enamel finish features a speckled, evening-like design on a satiny black finish.

It’s just hard to argue that the Danish know how to design. And they also tend to appreciate a good cup of coffee, which is why I suppose the designers created this elegant Porcelain cup that’s just the perfect size for a lungo: 230 ml, or 7.78 ounces.

There’s a silicone sheath to protect your fingers from the heat of the coffee. The cup is dishwasher safe, but Eva Solo recommends the sheath be removed before both can be placed in the dishwasher.

This cup is designed by Tools Design, a design studio in Copenhagen that’s received more than 60 design awards, and apparently has quite a following in Denmark. The founders, shown here, are Claus Jensen and Henrik Holbæk.

• First, it’s a thermo cup, so it’ll keep your coffee hotter longer. Based on reviews at various sites, most users say the outside stays cool enough to hold while the inside stays hot. That’s the idea, and it seems to work.

• It’s slightly over 3.5″ tall. That means it’ll sit under the spout of your Nespresso Essenza while your coffee dispenses, without you having to hold the cup and wait. But, it is just high enough that you’ll have to tilt the cup a little to get it under the spout, so it’s not a true clearance of the spout. [See this page for more details on the perfect lungo cup height.]

• It’s made by Menu, a Danish design company that’s come to be known for it’s useful and beautiful designs. The designers, Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen and Kasper Rønn, strive to combine function and beauty. You can see a collection of the Norm line of designs at this page of items from Menu.

Royal Copenhagen is one of Europe’s oldest porcelain factories, and this coffee cup comes straight from that legacy. The name of this cup is Ole, named after the designer, Ole Jensen, and like all of Royal Copenhagen products, it’s handmade of fine porcelain, but also dishwasher safe.

I just stumbled upon these beautiful Thai wooden coffee cups and they seem custom-made for a robust lungo. They are only 2.25″ tall, so there’s no problem fitting under the spout of a Nespresso Essenza, and at 3.25″ diameter, I’m guessing these hold about 7 ounces. I’m hoping to hear from the supplier on the exact capacity. If any of you purchase these and can determine this, please let me know!

They are made from Thai palm wood that’s unvarnished with a smooth, food-safe finish. I think the creme from a lungo would look just great in these!

This classic coffee cup is designed by Italian designer Ettore Sottsass as part of his La Bella Tavola full tableware line. His classic, simple designs are recognized worldwide. And, of course, since he’s Italian, he understands the inherent delights of a good, strong, and small cup of coffee — the kind Nespresso has perfected. See a bio of Sottsass here.

The designer.

This cup is just the right size for your lungos at a 7-ounce capacity. It’s short height will fit the Nespresso machines that have limited height issues, such as the Essenza. The Porcelain material is dishwasher safe.

Here are some really cool mugs with a design that can only come from Scandinavia: the Norman Ave mug by Creative Danes.

First, the important specs: these are 3.5″h x 3.25″d and each holds 210 ml or roughly 7.1 ounces. Yes, this is a bit high, especially for the Nespresso Essenza. So, if you’ve got that machine, you’d have to hold this mug in place while your lungo dispenses… but if you have the Pixie, you can flip the drip tray down to make room for a higher mug.

More about this mug: each is hand painted (but there’s no paintbrush!), and each features insulated double walls to keep beverages hot. So, it’s a lot like the Bodum lungo cup, in that sense. Also, each comes with a porcelain lid that doubles as a saucer — a very Danish touch!

Okay, now about the source where you can buy these puppies: Apt2B.com. If you live in the L.A. area, you may know this place. This is a group of with-it designers who know retail, but mostly they know what people want: style without expense. They make furnishing a home or apartment easy (at least in the L.A. area) by delivering all of your decor at once. When you visit their web site (they don’t have a retail store, eliminates expensive overhead), check out their room packages: they’ve got it all planned out, or you can design your own. Funny thing is, this is a group of really stylish people, but they don’t have Nespresso machines… Seems every apartment in L.A. should have a Pixie!